Sucre Morceaux

Two lumps please, 7 1/4" x 6 1/2"

Here's something else I like to bring back from Paris, but they have minimal shelf life. They fall to bits in no time, these sucre morceaux (café sugar cubes).

Each morceau de sucre blanc weighs in at 6 grammes and they're the perfect companion for the classic cup of coffee.

Café Flore sucre morceau, 7" x 6"

Bet you didn't know these adorable sugar cubes were invented by a Parisian epicier (grocer), named Eugène François in 1875. Formerly you got your sugar chopped off a big loaf, or cone-like hunk. Not very convenient for dropping into a coffee cup... It was in the 1960's that the paper wrapping became a billboard for branding just like French candybox ribbons and stickers.

Sucre morceau, 8 1/2" x 6"

The squared-sugar cube fits right into Cézanne's règle (rule) of géométrie, " if you can draw a cube, a sphere, a pyramid...you can draw anything". These cubes add a nice contrast to round café cups and cast pleasent shadows..

Cafés Ladoux sucre morceaux, 9 1/2" x 6 1/2"

Should you choose to make yourself a cafe royale, you'll need black coffee + a teaspoon holding 1 sugar cube set atop your cup. Pour coqnac over the cube and into the coffee. Then light up the sugar cube with a match, letting it flambé and caramelise enough to be stirred into the brandy-infused coffee. Delicious.

M. tells me "sucrettes" is the name of these long paper sachets of granulated sugar you now see on far too many café table tops for my taste. Are they're preferred by those on a regime (diet) since you can control how much sugar goes into the cup?

Here's a leçon to learn if you're moving to France. Powdered sugar is used strictement for baking. So don't put your best silver sugar bowl filled with Domino on the table and get laughed back to the kitchen. Sucre morceau MUST be served with coffee and tea!